Thales on contract for Miecznik frigate combat system

A computer-generated image of the final configuration of the Polish Navy's first Miecznik frigate. (Babcock)

Thales UK has sealed a contract with Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) to supply and integrate the core combat suite for Poland's Miecznik (Swordfish) frigate programme.

Signed on 4 October, the EUR400 million (USD419 million)-plus contract – being primed through the company's Above Water Systems business line – covers the supply of the TACTICOS combat management system (CMS) above-water sensors and fire control, and an anti-submarine sonar suite. As well as its equipment scope of supply – sourced predominantly from Thales operations in the Netherlands and France – Thales UK will support combat system installation, verification, validation, and qualification activities.

Under the Miecznik programme, Poland is procuring three multimission frigates – based on the Babcock Arrowhead 140 design – to recapitalise the Polish Navy's surface fleet. The PGZ-MIECZNIK consortium – led by state-owned PGZ and also including the PGZ Stocznia Wojenna (SW) shipyard – is taking overall responsibility for programme delivery. In 2022 Thales signed a strategic co-operation agreement with PGZ and PGZ SW, and has been working over the last 12 months to mature and optimise the combat system solution.

Alongside Babcock and Thales, PGZ has partnered with the UK business of MBDA for its anti-air missile needs. MBDA will supply both its Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM) and CAMM extended range (CAMM-ER); a medium-range CAMM (CAMM-MR) variant is planned to follow under a joint UK/Poland future common missile development.